Serving rack



owe, 1925. 1,556,384

. P. VEHLING ET AL SERVING RACK Filed M'ay '7, 1923 9 Fan] 1 75M]:

Patented Oct. 6, 1925.

"STATES PAU'L VEHLING AND HUGO vEHLI'NG, or vrILwAuKEE, WISCONSIN.

sERvrNG' I RACK.

Application filed May 7,

To all whom'z't may concern:

.Be' itknown that we, PAUL VEHLING and HUGO VEHLiNG, both subjects of Germany, and residents of Milwaukee, in the county of lsfilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Serving Racks; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention pertains to serving racks and has primarily for its object to provide a simple, compact, and economical device adapted to facilitate the carrying of a plurality of plates at one time.

A further object is to provide a device of the above character with a closure adapted to surround the same and prolong the heated condition of its contents, and permit easy ren'ioval of the same.

Incidental to the foregoing, a more specific object is to provide a cloth or other form of flexible covering for detachable connection to the rack.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claim.

In the accompanying. drawing is illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the present invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sec-. tional view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings. the numerals 1 designate a plurality of skeleton formed shelves spaced one above the other and provided with vertical lugs 2 suitably spaced about their periphery and connected by rivets or other desired forms of securement to the uprights 3. I

Certain of the radial arms l-of the skeleton shelves are provided with upwardly projecting lugs 5 adapted to engage the an- 1923. Serial No. 637,108.

nular. ridgeformed at the bottom of conventional plates such as that illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1. These lugs serve to center the plate upon-the shelves and retain the same against shifting and dropping off the racks.

As will be noted in Figures '1 and 2, the uprights 3' are so spaced as to permit insertion and removal of the plates at the front of the rack, and in order to further insure against accidental slipping of the plates from the rack, the shelves 2 are provided with the peripheral upright flanges 6 positioned at the front of the shelves.

Secured to the upper ends of the upright 3 is a cover 7 which is provided with a handle 8 to facilitate carrying of the rack from one place to another. Spaced at suitable intervals around the periphery of the cover 7 are a plurality of buttons 9 to which are detachably connected a closure 10 adapted to completely surround the shelves and overlap at the front of the rack, thereby preventing the access of air to the interior of the rack and serving to prolong the heated condition of the food or contents carried upon the plates. In order to remove the plates, the closure 10, which is preferably formed of cloth or similar flexible material is unbuttoned at its overlapping edges, thus allowing suflicient space to insert or removeplates from'the shelves.

It is further pointed out that the skeleton formation of the shelves permits circulation of air within the container, thereby insuring an even distribution of heat about the contents of the various shelves maintaining all of the food in its heated condition.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that a very simple, compact form of rack is provided which will greatly facilitate the carrying and serving of a plurality of plates at one time, such as is required at banquets and the like, and due to the closure provided, the device is'exceptionally sanitary, and at the same time the heated condition of its contents is greatly prolonged.

We claim:

A serving rack for plates comprising a top of sheet metal having downturned marginal portions and having a carrying handle attached to its upper side, a plurality of shelves positioned beneath said top and spaced from said top and from each other, a pair of diametrically arranged vertical strap-like members rigidly secured to said a I 1,556,384 ATENT OFFICE.

top and to each of said shelves, at third straplike member positioned intermediate the strap-like members of said pair and secured to said shelves and to said strap, the space between said pair of strap-like members being open on the side opposite said third strap-like member, each of said shelves having upturned flanges on the side opposite said third strap-like member and each of said shelves having upturned ribs intermediate their center and peripheral edges and adapted. to engage the bottom flange of a plate, and a cover secured to said serving rack and having overlapping edges positioned on the side opposite said. third straplike member.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing We have hereunto set our hands at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

PAUL VEHLING. HUGO VEHLING. 

